Paesanella Food Emporium

Sitting three storeys above its pizza restaurant, Paesanella's Food Emporium in Marrickville is a modern delight with a deep history. Italian Immigrant Umberto Somma arrived in Australia in 1956 and made a living selling his handmade mozzarella to the working class. More than half a century later and his legacy is encapsulated in the Paesanella brand, which sells their own buffalo mozzarella and ricotta made in its nearby factory.

The Food Emporium has cookbooks, pasta, and imported goods, but the real treasures lie behind the gleaning glass cases that hold the freshly made Paesanella cheese packaged and ready to take home.

If you find you can't wait until you get home to dig into a ball of mozzarella then grab a table at their restaurant downstairs where tables flow onto the street and a pizza bar dishes out gourmet pizza pies made exclusively with Paesanella cheeses. If you're ravenous you might find yourself overwhelmed by options — or ordering the entire menu. With one look at their Antipasto Italia ($35), a platter filled with burrata, fried pizza dough, buffalo mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, rocket, and mixed grilled vegetables you might have to sideline the mini ricotta and Nutella cake for next time. Or not.